Dance With the Devil
by AquilaTempestas
Summary: AU. Sam's locked in the mental ward and he's constantly harassed by Lucifer. He tries to seek help, but everyone thinks he's crazy, even his beloved brother. How will Sam win this battle with himself?
1. Bad Dream or Living Nightmare

**Disclaimer**

The rights to Supernatural belong to Eric Kripke

**Title**

Dance With the Devil

**Summary**

Sam's locked in the mental ward and he's constantly harassed by Lucifer. He tries to seek help, but everyone thinks he's crazy, even his beloved brother. How will Sam win this battle with himself? Remastered version of 'Dance With the Devil'

**.**

**Chapter One: Bad Dream or Living Nightmare**

"Sam! Can you hear me?"

Noises all around him, lights flashing in his eyes. His lungs burned, his legs ached. One move of the arm and pain seared through his body. Pain. So much pain, but how? Where was he? His eyes fluttered open. He could make out blurred images of his brother and a couple of people in white coats, their faces hovering above him.

Sam opened his mouth and tried to speak, but it came out like a grunt instead. "He's speaking!" he heard his brother say. "Sammy, I know you can hear me. You're in the hospital, you've suffered significant head trauma."

Head trauma? That explained why his head hurt and why he was having trouble seeing clearly. He groaned again and closed his eyes shut. "I'm sorry Dean, but you're going to have to leave this room. He's suffered greatly, he needs time to rest and regain his strength," a female voice spoke.

Sam could hear his brother protest, but his voice soon died down. He suspected Dean was dragged out of the room. He heard the door close and heard footsteps walk to his bed. "You need to rest. I'll close the door and turn the lights off. If you need assistance, press the button in your hand and a nurse will come to you," she said.

He wanted to thank the nurse for her efforts, but he still couldn't speak. A lump had formed in his throat. She didn't speak further. He heard her retreating footsteps and closed his eyes as the door shut. Now alone, Sam was left with time to think. How had he ended up here? Peace didn't last long.

"Sammy." He opened his eyes at the mention of his name. At his bed side, he saw a man with blond hair and blue eyes gazing down at him, a look of sympathy on his face. "It's good to see you again."

It couldn't be.

Fear prompted him to finally find his voice. "Lucifer."

The Devil grinned. "I'm glad you remember me Sam. I remembered you." He rolled off Sam's bed and grabbed a chair and sat down, the front of the chair facing towards Sam. Lucifer rested his arms on the chairs head and gazed down at him. "You're in a mess," he said. "That car hit you pretty good," he added, snickering.

Car? He was struck by a car? He tried to remember it, but his mind drew a blank. "I don't remember..."

Lucifer shrugged. "Unfortunately, I wasn't there when it happened three days ago, but the look on your brother's face was priceless. When you were rushed into the emergency room, your brother was there at your side screaming. I thought he was going to break down and cry at one point." He rolled his eyes. "You Winchesters are such an overemotional lot."

Sam tried to sit up on his bed, but his injuries wouldn't allow him. He was covered in bandages from head to toe. The only parts of his body uncovered were half his face and his hands. "I thought you were gone..."

"Oh, don't be like that Sam. You'll never get rid of me. I was... simply on a vacation. You found a way to stop me from invading your thoughts but it was only temporary." Lucifer lifted his hands and held them before him. Using his left hand, he poked his middle finger into the palm of his right then rubbed it. "That technique of yours won't work anymore." His hands dropped to his side.

"You're not real," Sam whispered.

Lucifer held out his arms to his side and gave Sam an indignant look. "Do I look fake to you?"

No, he looked very real. It wasn't as if he was transparent or anything. "Just leave me alone," he said. Lucifer might look real, but he was just a hallucination. Just a hallucination, he couldn't hurt him.

Lucifer propped his elbow on the head of the chair and let his chin rest on his hand. "No one is here to help you Sam."

"You're not real..."

"You keep telling yourself that," Lucifer said with a sigh. He snapped his fingers causing firecrackers to appear and explode. Sam cringed at the noise. "Did that sound real to you?" the Devil demanded. "I've got a lot more tricks right up my sleeve."

Sam knew the Devil wasn't lying. He didn't need to. "What do you want from me?"

"That's an interesting question, what do I want from you? I think I should be asking you the same question."

"I don't want anything from you!" he said through clenched teeth, trying to muster up the anger he had.

"Don't be angry Sam, it doesn't suit you." He wished he could cause the Devil to vanish, but he could barely lift his hand. Rubbing his finger into his opposite hand wouldn't help him here. There had to be another way... then he remembered the button in his right hand. His thumb grazed the surface of the button. "Go ahead, press the button. I'll be back," Lucifer said.

He did.

It didn't take long for a nurse to arrive. The door opened and the lights turned on. "What's the problem, Sam?" she asked.

Sam brought a hand to his head. "My head hurts." It was the best explanation he could come up with. He couldn't tell her Lucifer was there saying hello. The nurse opened her mouth to reply when a knife appeared in the her stomach, the tip of the silver blade poking through the other side. A river of blood gushed out of the wound and spilled onto the floor. Sam's eyes widened. Fear clouded his mind. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he shouted. He forced his body to sit upright, ignoring the burning pain.

His brother was the first to come to his aid. "Sam?" Dean rushed in and ran to his brother's side. "What's the problem?"

Sam pointed to the corpse on the floor. "She... she's dead!"

Dean glanced at the floor and frowned. "I don't see anything Sam, but at least you're talking again. There's no one dead here."

"Wha-what? But she's right there."

"Who is?"

"The nurse!"

Dean glanced at an empty spot next to him. "Is he hallucinating?"

Sam head another voice speak. "Hallucinations are side effects to his head injuries," she replied.

"Will he recover?"

He didn't hear a response. "They think you're _crazy,_" Lucifer sung, appearing next to him at the end of his bed. "Maybe they're right... maybe you're losing your mind."

"Shut up..." he mumbled.

Lucifer's grin widened. "Maybe you're lack of sanity will drive your brother away!"

"Shut up..." he said again.

Lucifer lifted his hand and brought two fingers to his right temple. "It all ends when you can't take it anymore." He winked and pretended to shoot himself.

"SHUT UP!" Sam yelled. Wrong idea.

Lucifer snickered. "You're crazy."

Dean glanced down at his brother with concern. "Who are you talking to Sam?"

He wanted to tell his brother he was talking to Lucifer, but the nurse was there too. "She already thinks you're crazy Sam, she won't care if you tell her you're talking to me," Lucifer said, winking again. He jerked his head in the direction of the nurse and Dean. "Go on, tell them all about me."

Sam focused his attention on his brother. "It's him, Lucifer."

He arched his eyebrows. "Lucifer? Come on Sam, Lucifer doesn't exist."

That was unexpected. "He exists, he walked the earth remember?"

Dean glanced sideways again. "I don't know what he's talking about."

Sam felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. Dean knew Lucifer existed... he was there when Sam let Lucifer in... "He exists Dean!" he shouted, taking his brother and the nurse by surprise. "Why don't you believe me?"

Laying a hand on his brother's shoulder, Dean looked him squarely in the eyes. "Lucifer doesn't exist Sam; he's all in your head. He's just a character in the Bible, that's all." He released his grip on Sam and drew back. "You need some rest Sam."

"No wait!"

But it was too late. Dean and the nurse left the room once again leaving him alone in the dark. "You're crazy Sam," Lucifer said. "A nutcase. It's why you're here in the first place, the mental hospital for crazy people like you."

Sam ignored Lucifer. His thoughts centred on Dean's lack of knowledge. Why didn't he know about Lucifer? He knew Sam was having hallucinations of his time in hell. "I'm not crazy!"

Lucifer's presence drew closer, so close Sam could feel his breath tickle his skin. "Do you know what's real and what isn't?" he asked in a voice barely above a whisper. "This could all be a bad dream... or it could be a living nightmare." He drew back, smirking. Sam closed his eyes and tried to push his thoughts aside, but he couldn't stop the feeling of fear and doubt growing inside. What if Lucifer was right?

.

Different from the original version, but there will be some similarities later on as the story develops. This story is completely written unlike the original version at least. There should be an update every fortnight. Thanks for reading! Reviews much appreciated as always!


	2. On Death's Door

**Disclaimer**

The rights to Supernatural belong to Eric Kripke

**Title**

Dance With the Devil

**Summary**

Sam's locked in the mental ward and he's constantly harassed by Lucifer. He tries to seek help, but everyone thinks he's crazy, even his beloved brother. How will Sam win this battle with himself? Remastered version of 'Dance With the Devil'

**Special Thanks**

Guest, latona78, murphy9202, Devyn197, pottercrux and BloodyRosie for reviewing the first chapter : )

**.**

**Chapter Two: On Death's Door**

Jess smiled at him as she reached a hand towards his face, her fingers trailing the skin on Sam's cheeks. He took her hand with his own and clasped his fingers around her delicate fingers feeling comfort wash over him. All his doubts and fears were pushed aside. He opened his mouth and spoke to her and she laughed at his words, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

Her face blurred and she flew upwards, her back colliding to a white ceiling. She screamed her eyes wide with fear. Flames appeared encircling her body, as they danced around. The ceiling collapsed and Jess was no more, but the flames were still there a gaping black hole in the middle of them. A hand reached out towards him from the darkness, grasping as if searching for something to grab. More hands soon appeared and a bell ringing reached his ears.

"Sam Winchester, your time is up," the hands chanted.

They drew closer and closer chanting the same phrase when Sam could take it no more. He opened his eyes his breathing heavy.

"What's wrong Sam? Did someone die?" Lucifer asked, hands crossed over his chest and pouted. "I feel sorry for you." His tone was sincere, but the malice in his eyes betrayed his inner thoughts. "Must be hard coming to terms you're a raving lunatic."

Sam wiped his forehead and was surprised to feel wetness. He had been sweating. Gazing up at the ceiling, he mumbled to himself ignoring Lucifer, "I saw Jess... and hands appearing from flames... a vision?" It wouldn't be an odd occurrence for him.

"You don't want to hear it, but I'm going to tell you anyway. You are insane Sam," Lucifer stated, forked tongue running across his lower lip. "That's why you're in the nuthouse remember? Are you listening to me? Hello, Sam?" The Devil waved a hand in front of Sam's face.

Sam tried to argue, but a sharp pain exploded in his head. Brining a hand to his temple, he winced as the pain grew. He found himself on a scorched battlefield, a sea of bloodied corpses around him. He saw warriors with pitch black eyes fighting with winged warriors wielding silver blades. Some of the winged warriors fought amongst each other.

Dark clouds billowed above them, lightning shooting across the sky every few seconds only to be followed by a roar of thunder. But the fighting did not cease. In the middle of the battle Sam saw two warriors covered in shadow fighting each other while in the far distance, he saw Dean leading a small group of humans towards them. But he could not see himself. He was not one of the bodies lying amongst the dead.

What did this all mean?

.

Dean walked back and forwards feeling restless after returning from Sam's room. His brother was in a critical condition and he knew it was because of the hallucinations in his mind. Lucifer sat on his shoulder whispering vile words into his ear and there was nothing Dean could do to stop it. He felt like a failure – for so long he tried to protect Sam, but he couldn't help him this time. How could he? Support was the only service he could offer.

"Dean."

Dean stopped pacing and turned around upon hearing his name. Castiel entered through the hospital door dressed in his trench coat. His hair was ruffled and his tie was unravelled and hanging loosely by a thread. The signs of battle. "What happened to you?"

"Crowley's army grows in power and angels are on the loose causing havoc. One of my brothers tried to fight me, but I managed to overpower him." Castiel's eyes were downcast and Dean knew an angel had died. He didn't apologize for the loss; saying sorry was a difficult concept for an angel to understand. "We need to stop him Dean before it's too late."

He wanted nothing more than to kill Crowley, but Sam was his main focus. "I can't Cas... I can't leave this place until I know my brother is fine."

"How is your brother?"

Dean sighed. Where to start? "Sam's having hallucinations and he's seeing Lucifer still. He thought he saw one of the nurses die." It pained him to see his brother in such a state, but what could he do to help him? "I don't know what to do Cas..." John dead. Mary dead. Bobby dead. Ellen dead. Jo dead. The list seemed to grow each day. He turned to face the stoic angel. "Do something Cas, heal him with your angel juice."

"I can't cure his memories."

The eldest Winchester threw his hands up in the air. "Then what can you do?" He gave Castiel a dark look, one the angel had grown accustomed to. His eyes were full of loathing and hatred. He blamed Castiel for Sam's crippled state.

"I can see what he is experiencing and perhaps find a way to block Lucifer's presence temporarily," Castiel replied.

"Then do it."

Castiel nodded and left the room. Dean didn't trust him, not after the whole fiasco with Crowley and purgatory and the angle hoped to earn his trust back. If he could heal his brother, or at least fix a part of him, would Dean forgive him? He entered the room Sam was lying in and prepared himself for the worst.

.

Castiel peered over Sam, then placed a hand on his forehead. Searing pain rushed down his body, feeling as though he was being burned alive from within. He wanted to move, to shout and scream, but no sound would come. But at last the pain ended. He took in mouthfuls of air, trying to calm himself down then looked up at Castiel. "Cas... what's happening?" he asked.

"You're an abomination."

That wasn't the reaction he expected. The cold indifference in Castiel's voice stung. "Wha... what? I thought you were here to help me?" Why else would Castiel visit him? Maybe Dean had come to his senses and asked Castiel for help?

"You deserved to die Sam. Look at what you have done to us all."

"Why are you saying this?"

A smirk crossed Castiel's hard features. "Dean doesn't need you; you're a liability to him. Too weak, always in trouble, it'll be good when you finally die."

This wasn't Castiel. Despite the pain Castiel had caused, he would never say such things to Sam. But Dean said things he didn't believe he would say either... A flash of white light exploded in his mind sending a wave of pain down his body. "Please stop!"

Castiel drew his hand away, the ever present smirk on his face widening. "God won't save you this time... now you'll stay in hell where you belong."

Sam screamed.

.

Castiel drew back, his eyes wide with fear. "Sam, I'm sorry." It was all he could say but the poor boy just looked at him with pleading eyes. Touching Sam's forehead opened his memories to him, he saw the torture Sam experienced in the cage with Michael and Lucifer and he felt his fear. And worst of all, he felt Lucifer's presence in Sam's mind.

Pulling Sam from hell had been a mistake, but giving him his soul back was worse. Sam's soul wasn't complete – it wasn't pure Sam. A part of him had perished in Hell and there was nothing he could do to get it back. A lost soul was gone forever. A damaged soul could not be repaired. The missing gap in Sam's soul was filled with Lucifer's own. As long as Sam lived, Lucifer lived. Lucifer's strength grew draining the life-force out of Sam making him weaker. Soon, Castiel feared Lucifer would take over Sam and the youngest Winchester would cease to exist.

It was so much worse than he thought.

Sam's crippled state made it easier for Lucifer to gain control, all Sam had to do was allow Lucifer to take over and all would be lost. The apocalypse would start over again and this time Sam could not overthrow the Devil for he _was _the Devil. Dean. Castiel's thoughts drifted to the eldest Winchester. How was he going to break the news to Dean his brother was dying? No demon would bring him back and God wouldn't save him again. His Father didn't seem to care about them at all anymore.

However, there was one way to stop Lucifer from reigning once again.

Kill Sam Winchester, crush his soul, send it back to hell and lock it up for eternity. Only then will Sam be truly saved.

.

So there are two stories being told here now, Sam's story and Dean's. Sam's losing his mind and on the brink of death and Dean wants to save his brother before he loses everything. But Sam thinks everyone around him is crazy while 'everyone else' thinks he's the crazy one. And Lucifer? You'll learn more about his intentions in the next chapter. As always, reviews much appreciated : )

If you are wondering where the Leviathan's are... you'll learn about them later, but they won't be like the ones on the show. I didn't like that version.


	3. Decisions

**Disclaimer**

The rights to Supernatural belong to Eric Kripke

**Title**

Dance With the Devil

**Summary**

Sam's locked in the mental ward and he's constantly harassed by Lucifer. He tries to seek help, but everyone thinks he's crazy, even his beloved brother. How will Sam win this battle with himself? Remastered version of 'Dance With the Devil'

**Special Thanks**

Lilsis1232, AlElizabeth, talalunawinchester, latona78 and Devyn197 for reviewing the previous chapter! This chapter might be a little confusing, but it'll make sense later.

**.**

**Chapter Three: Decisions**

Dean paced back and forth on the hospital floor, hands dug into the pockets of his jacket. He was unable to rest even for a brief second. What was taking Castiel so long and what had he found? Only time would tell. Fortunately, Dean didn't have to wait much longer. Castiel arrived in the waiting room, a forlorn expression on his face.

"What did you find?" Dean asked without giving Castiel the chance to speak.

Castiel's eyes met Dean's and the eldest Winchester was taken aback by the lack of hope in his eyes. "I'm sorry Dean."

Dean felt his heart skip a beat. "What did you find?" he asked, through clenched teeth. The angel remained silent, his eyes looking down at the floor. "What did you find?" Dean asked again, more firmly this time.

"Lucifer has latched onto Sam's soul."

Castiel had never seen real fear in Dean's eyes until now. They were wide with fright, his mouth slightly agape. "What... what does that mean?"

"Somehow, Lucifer left a piece of himself within Sam's soul when he possessed him. That bond strengthened in the cage. When I pulled Sam out, I pulled out Lucifer's soul instead. A major part of Sam's soul still remains in the cage," Castiel explained. "Lucifer is draining Sam's life force which is making him stronger and giving him more control over Sam. Sam doesn't know what is real and what isn't anymore," he added, averting his gaze from Dean's indifferent expression.

"He can be saved though," Dean asked.

Castiel shook his head. "I'm sorry Dean, but what you are asking is impossible. You can't separate two souls from each other."

"But...Sam, he can fight the Devil." The angel didn't reply, seemingly fascinated by an invisible dot on the floor. "Look at me Cas!" Castiel glanced at Dean. "What's going to happen to Sam?"

"Lucifer will destroy the remains of Sam's soul and take over his body permanently and your brother will remain in the cage for eternity. Your brother is dying Dean."

Dean shook his head. "No... I'm not losing him again Cas. I'll make a deal."

"No demon will want to raise Sam from the dead with Lucifer's soul attached."

"Death can help; he brought Sam's soul back."

"Sam's only defence against the Devil has been torn down Dean," Castiel said, feeling a wave of shame wash through him. It was his fault the wall fell, but it was going to happen sooner or later. "Not even Death has the power to repair Sam's soul and remove Lucifer's own." Only God could, but he was absent and showed no signs of returning anytime soon.

Dean sat down on the waiting chairs and leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees and burying his head in his hands. Sam couldn't die... not after everything they had been through. They always found a way to cheat death. Had their chances finally run out? "There has to be a way, I won't lose him, I won't."

"What are you going to do Dean?"

He peered up from his hands. "I'll talk to him; I'll tell him he can fight the Devil." Without saying anything else, Dean stood up from the chair and walked towards Sam's room.

.

"Sam Winchester... Sam Winchester..." the unseen voices chanted, as bells rang in the background. He was in a realm of shadow and completely alone, walking on a cobble path through a dark pine forest. He could hear other voices; voices of victims he killed, voices of exorcised demons and voices belonging to various monsters he had killed in the past. He didn't know where he was and where he was going, but something told him to continue walking on the path.

As he followed the path, he heard the sounds of battle. He was reminded of the angels and demons battling in a former vision, but the fighting sounded more intense. A clang of steels clashed, the sounds of arrows flying through the air and the cries of the dead and dying. It made his head throb, but he continued to walk.

Soon, he found what he was looking for.

In a forest clearing there was a golden pedestal and on the top, there was a ball of pure light. It fascinated him and he felt strongly connected to it. He walked with a brisk pace towards the ball, adrenaline rushing through him as he neared it. He was now only a metre away. Reaching out an arm, he tried to touch the surface of the light only to find there was nothing. His hand went through the ball of light. It burned him, yet he did not cry with pain. Soon, he was gripped with an overwhelming surge of feelings of power, rage... and innocence. He jerked his hand back unnerved.

"Sam!"

He snapped his to the left, then right but found nothing.

"Sam!"

The voice called out to him again. This time Sam saw him. His brother walked into his line of vision, a glow of light encasing him. Angel wings appeared from his back, seeming to light up the entire forest. Sam frowned; Dean was an angel? "Dean!"

"Don't let him win Sam."

Sam lifted a brow. "Let who win?"

"You're our only hope."

"What are you talking about?"

Dean's face was expressionless. "They're coming... the Leviathans..."

"Leviathans? What are they?"

But Dean didn't speak further. The light faded and his brother turned away, vanishing into darkness. Sam tried calling out his brother's name, but he didn't return. Once again he was alone. Stabbing pain exploded in his left temple pulling him out of his vision. His eyes opened and once again he found himself lying on a hospital bed, Lucifer staring down at him.

"At least you didn't scream like a little girl this time."

"Dean!"

Lucifer sighed. "Dean's gone Sam, he came into the room and tried to talk to you, but you never replied. That angel Castiel entered and pulled Dean out of the room, then you awoke. It was quite touching really, Dean sitting at your bedside crying tears..." he smirked. "You're seeing your death Sam."

At this point, Sam didn't care for Lucifer's attempts to insult him. "I saw a ball of light."

"A soul."

"...and I saw Dean, he was an angel."

Lucifer scoffed. "You're dreaming Sam."

"He told me to fight him, that I was their only hope. He mentioned the Leviathans..."

"Leviathans?"

"You've heard of them before?"

The Devil nodded. "Before angels, humans and souls came into existence, Father made the first beast. They were called Leviathans and proved to be too hungry and destructive to roam the planet. He created purgatory and locked them inside."

"And now they're walking the earth?"

Lucifer shrugged. "Your angel pal Castiel released them when he ate those souls."

"Can they be stopped?"

"Yes they can. The Bone of a Righteous Mortal Washed in the Three Bloods of the Fallen can kill them. Blood of a Fallen Angel, Blood of the Ruler of Fallen Humanity and Blood of the Father of Fallen Beasts," Lucifer explained.

"Why didn't you mention this before?"

"You never asked Sam."

"I didn't know about them until now."

Lucifer snapped his fingers bringing up a stool for him to sit on. He sat down then spoke again, "Your seeing things before they happen Sam, it's what happens when you're about to die. Cruel, right? But hey... you don't have to worry about them because you're dead," he said lightly, grinning down at Sam. But the humour was short lived. He stared at Sam, his eyes uncaring and cold. "I need you alive Sam; if you die I remain fully in the cage." He shook his head, "I intend to keep you alive."

Sam forced a dry laugh. "And how do you propose to do that? You have no power; you're back in the cage." He was going to die, he knew it. He heard the bells tolling for his farewell and saw his corpse lying on the ground in a pool of blood. No one would save him this time; not his brother and not even God could. Why would anyone want to save someone as broken as him?

"I'm not fully in the cage Sam, I'm part of you. That ball of light you saw was our souls combined as one. When Castiel pulled you out of my cage, he pulled me out to," Lucifer explained. A frown crossed his face. "I'm sure it wasn't intentional, he never liked me much."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "How did you manage to escape?"

"When you took me in I became you... or at least a part of me did. I wasn't in you long enough to take full control," Lucifer said, standing up from his chair. He walked around the bed and stood on Sam's left side glancing down at him. "I guess no one told you an unbreakable bond is formed between angel and true host."

"The hallucinations then... they're real?"

Lucifer nodded. "It was my way of trying to communicate with you but you pushed me aside." He frowned, "that hurt my feelings Sam, I was trying to help you."

"By driving me crazy?"

He shrugged. "You were being rude, I acted in kind."

"You started it."

"I was still bitter because you jumped back into my cage, I couldn't let you off the hook easily could I? That would damage my reputation."

"What do you want from me now?"

"I want revenge."

"Why now? Why didn't you ask before?"

"I needed you to be in a situation where you'd be desperate enough to consider it. You're on death's door Sam, if you don't act now you'll die and the world you strived to protect will falter. I don't care for humans, but I hate demons more. I want them exterminated, especially Crowley."

Sam agreed with that. He disliked Crowley and his dangerous schemes. "But what about the Leviathans?"

A brief silence followed after Sam's words, and he wondered whether the Devil had taken into consideration the existence of the Leviathans. Lucifer replied soon afterwards, and Sam wondered if he could read his thoughts. Combined souls, but did that mean combined thoughts? He couldn't read Lucifer's thoughts. "We'll deal with them later; they're not a real threat yet, but Crowley must be stopped. He's destroying everything I worked hard to create."

"What will you have me do?"

"Finish Crowley. You'll have my powers and abilities, but they'll come at a cost."

"What about my brother? Castiel?"

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Somehow I thought you'd bring them up... You can ask them tag along if you wish, but I think they have their own issues to solve before they become any use to us. But... it's your choice if you want them to witness everything you do."

"You mentioned at cost. What will that be? No eating, no sleep?"

Lucifer shook his head. "You will still function like a human... you will just be... super enhanced. You'll be required to do things that will go against that gentle nature of yours Sam which is why I don't think having Dean and Castiel along is a great idea for you." He brought a hand to his chin and stroked it looking thoughtful. "Are you prepared to pay the pay price of living or join the realm of the dead?"

.

So Sam and Lucifer have come to an agreement, but is it the right one? Will Sam ever be the same again? As always, reviews much appreciated!


	4. Together As One

**Disclaimer**

The rights to Supernatural belong to Eric Kripke

**Title**

Dance With the Devil

**Summary**

Sam's locked in the mental ward and he's constantly harassed by Lucifer. He tries to seek help, but everyone thinks he's crazy, even his beloved brother. How will Sam win this battle with himself?

**Special Thanks**

AlElizabeth, BloodyRosie, tatalunawinchester, itscalledkarma and Devyn197 for reviewing the previous chapter. Sorry for the late update!

**.**

**Chapter Four: Together As One**

What a choice it was to make. Continue to live in this miserable state until death finally took him or let Lucifer back inside, conquer the world and destroy any hope of living a normal life? He didn't know what was worse. An image of Dean appeared in his mind, and Sam felt his heart ache. He couldn't leave his brother alone. Besides, he had beaten the Devil once before, he could do it again, right? "Yes."

Lucifer grinned then closed his eyes. A white light emanated from him, but it didn't last for long. Sam felt a surge of overpowering energy rush through his body and he knew that the Devil was back inside. It felt strange, yet somehow... comforting. To feel that level of power gave Sam a heightened sense of importance. Nothing could stop him. He was indestructible. A simple snap of the fingers would cause a human and lesser angel to explode.

_Enjoying yourself, Sam?_

Was that Lucifer speaking? It had to be. Sam nodded, flexing his fingers. "I feel... alive."

_That's because you are alive, Sam. Now, we need to find Crowley._

"But what about my brother? He's outside waiting for me. He'll be surprised to see me walking around."

_I thought we had already been through this._

"I need to tell him everything will be alright."

Lucifer sighed. _We can't risk it; Dean's angel pal will be there with him, and I'm sure he'll notice the change. He'll smite us down at the first chance he gets... well, he'll try to. _Sam heard the Devil laugh in his head. _"Jump out the window, you won't get hurt._

Sam's eyes darted towards the closed window. He narrowed his eyes, and bit his bottom lip. Jump out the window? "Are you mad? My bones will break!"

_I'm inside you, Sam. You have my abilities._

That meant instant healing. Sam nodded, and forced his fears aside and strolled towards the window. Raising a hand, he searched for a lock but found nothing. Nothing to open the window. "I guess they don't want windows open..." he muttered. Which was understandable. He was in a mental hospital after all on a high level. He turned his head to the right, then left searching for an item to smash the glass open.

_What are you doing, Sam? Just smash it with your own bare hands. _Sounds dangerous, Sam thought to which Lucifer snorted. _Don't be such a baby, Sammy. You might still eat and sleep like a human, but you have powers you humans like to fantasize about._

Sam didn't like being taunted. He strolled up to the window, and lifted a hand. He balled his fingers into a fist and prepared to punch it through the glass when a voice called out his name. "Sam Winchester, you should be in bed. You are in no state to be walking." Sam glanced over his shoulder and spotted another nurse dressed in white. This time he was hearing the right words. It was real.

"I'm fine," he said.

The nurse shook her head. "You are not fine! Back in bed, now!" She rushed over to him and placed her hands at his back then pushed him towards the bed.

_What a dumb cow._

Sam agreed.

_We should kill her, Sammy. Every death makes us stronger._

Tempting. But killing an innocent nurse didn't seem right even if she was stupid.

_Are you having second thoughts, Sammy? She's nothing to you. Who's going to care if she dies now? She'll be a demon later on if Crowley gets the job done. Spare her of that sort of life._

Not a bad reason, Sam thought. But still... it made his blood run cold. The woman probably had a family and Lucifer wanted to take her away from them.

_Sam, do you want to remain weak? You'll never feel the true extent of my power at this level._

Lucifer was taunting him.

But the Devil _did _have a point.

It was just a matter of doing the deed using his powers.

Well, _Lucifer's _powers to be precise. He took in a deep breath and raised a hand, stretching it out towards the nurse. With his palm facing the woman, Sam focused Lucifer's powers. It didn't take long for the nurse to die. Within seconds, she flew across the room, slamming hard into the far wall. Her head smashed against the hard surface and Sam heard a sickening crack.

_Well done, Sammy._

.

Dean heard a loud sound come from Sam's room. It echoed throughout the hallways filling the hospital with a noise other than the groans of mental patients. He stood up from his chair and rushed towards the room without even glancing at Castiel. "Sam!"

"Dean, I don't think-" Castiel started, but Dean didn't listen. The angel pressed his lips together, and followed the Winchester into the room. Upon entering, he noticed the body of a nurse leaning against the blood splattered wall.

"Sam!" Dean cried. His eyes searched the room until they landed on a tall figure standing in front of a window. "Sam?" he asked quieter this time. It had to be Sam because he wasn't in his bed. But wasn't he in a crippled state just earlier?

The figure turned around. Indeed it was Sam and he looked content. "Dean," he said in a flat tone. His dark eyes moved to Castiel and he acknowledged the angel with a nod. "Castiel."

"You're alive... and well!" Dean remarked, walking with caution towards Sam. For the first time in weeks, Dean smiled.

Sam nodded. "I feel fine, Dean."

Castiel on the other hand, didn't share Dean's happiness. The angel stood behind the eldest Winchester staring at Sam with close scrutiny. "Dean, be careful. This is not your brother."

Sam jerked his head sharply in Castiel's direction eyes burning with anger. Dean noticed the sudden change in behaviour and took a step back with caution. "Sam?"

"I can feel Lucifer's presence," Castiel said, curling his fingers into a fist. "I fear the worst has happened."

Dean ignored Castiel. "Don't listen to him, Sam."

"He's right to warn you, Dean," Sam replied, sneering. "Your angel pal speaks the truth."

So, Castiel's information had proven to be true. But why would his younger brother let the Devil back in when he fully knew what he was capable of doing? He had questions and he wanted them answered. "Lucifer..." Dean said, glaring at his brother. "Leave my brother alone."

Sam laughed. "What are you going to do, Dean? You're a boring human, you can't kill me." He lifted his arms then pointed at himself. "Besides, killing me will only kill your brother. We are one and the same after all," he added with a smirk.

Dean shook his head. "I want to talk to my brother. Sam."

Rolling his eyes, Sam shrugged. "Fine."

The anger in Sam's eyes faded to be replaced with fear, confusion and joy. An odd mixture of emotion, but this was the brother he knew. "Sam, what are you playing at? Letting the Devil back in? Don't you realize he's just trying to screw you over?" Dean snapped.

"I had no other option."

"No other option?!" Dean shouted, eyes blazing with anger. "I am your other option, Sam! I would've found a way to save you like I always have," he added, tone softening.

"There was no other way, Dean. I was dying."

Dean pointed a finger at Sam. "Because of Lucifer!"

"He's the only reason I'm still alive. If it wasn't for him... I would be with the dead." His eyes shifted to the dead nurse at the back of the room. "He gave me an option; die or live."

"He's manipulating you, Sam. He wanted you to choose life just so he could have power over you again. Don't you see that?" Dean pleaded. But Sam was stubborn – he wouldn't share the same opinion as his brother. "Let me help you."

"I'm sorry, Dean. But it's for the best. We're going to stop Crowley then the Leviathans."

A gentle snort escaped Dean's nostrils. "And you believe him? It's the friggen Devil." Sam didn't reply. Dean shut his eyes and covered his face with a palm, unable to look at his brother in the face. He knew his brother was hiding information, he knew that look all too well. It disappointed him. After everything they had been through, Sam still kept truths from him. How could he help his brother if he didn't confide in him? "You made a deal with him didn't you? I can't see why else you would let him back in."

"I told you. He gave me the option to remain alive. I didn't want to leave you alone again, Dean."

A lie... at least, half a lie. What else was Sam hiding? "What was the deal?"

"I didn't make a deal, you have to believe me."

A muscle in Dean's jaw twitched. "You're lying to me, Sam. What else did he promise you?"

"Nothing."

"Don't say that to me. I'm your brother, Sam." He continued to stare at his brother, looking at him with pleading eyes. But his brother refused to explain the details of his relationship with Lucifer. Once again his brother disappointed him. "Was it the promise of power? Control?"

"I'm not saying it again."

Dean took a step towards his brother, his eyes never leaving his face. Somehow he had to make him see sense otherwise lose him forever. "You always wanted a normal life... the path you have chosen isn't. Letting yourself be Lucifer's bitch? That's far from normal. If I wasn't your brother, I would want to hunt you."

Sam's eyes hardened. "I was never going to be normal, Yellow Eyes made sure of that."

"Come with me, Sam. Help us take down Crowley." Despite the lies and secret hiding, Sam was still his brother. He couldn't abandon him yet, not when there was still a glimmer of hope.

Castiel stepped forward. "That would not be a good idea, Dean. Lucifer is inside him. His presence will be felt by other angels and demons making us a target. It might even attract the Leviathans and we do not know how to defeat them yet."

"He's my brother, Castiel! I'm not giving up on him."

"We will save him one day, Dean but that is not today. Sam had made his choice and -"

"And what?!" Dean turned around and glared at the angel. "And let Lucifer control my brother?! I would rather have him die than become the Devil's bitch!" Frustrated, Dean turned his back to Castiel. He focused his attention again on Sam. A hardened expression was on his face. Regret filled Dean, but he maintained a calm look.

"You'd rather have me dead than share my body with Lucifer... is that what you are saying?" Sam asked his voice flat. "I thought you appreciated me better."

"You aren't you, Sam. You're not thinking straight. I'd rather lose you to death than lose you to the Devil." His words pained him; it took all his willpower to hold back tears.

Sam's hands dropped at his sides, fingers balled into fists. Dean knew his brother was angry and he had every right to be frustrated, but Dean couldn't be held responsible. His brother invited the Devil back into his mind to keep himself alive. He was certain a promise had been made between them – Sam had more than enough sense to simply agree to be the Devil's bitch. Perhaps it was the promise of power and control that made him say 'yes'. "I'm only trying to protect you," he said softly.

"You can't protect me forever."

And before Dean could protest, Sam threw himself out the window.

.

Out of curiosity, do you think Sam would be better off going with Dean or should he go alone? Also, what are your thoughts on Castiel at the moment? As always, reviews much appreciated! On an unrelated note, to those that were reading 'Ave Satani', I apologize for accidently removing it. Some parts of the planned story feature in this.


	5. New Problems Arising

**Disclaimer**

The rights to Supernatural belong to Eric Kripke

**Title**

Dance With the Devil

**Summary**

Sam's locked in the mental ward and he's constantly harassed by Lucifer. He tries to seek help, but everyone thinks he's crazy, even his beloved brother. How will Sam win this battle with himself?

**Special Thanks**

Devyn197, BloodyRosie, AlElizabeth, itscalledkarma and tatalunwinchester for reviewing the previous chapter!

**.**

**Chapter Five: New Problems Arising**

It was a long fall, but it took only seconds to reach the bottom. He expected to feel some sort of pain, but there was nothing. No bruising, not even a tiny scratch. It was as if he hadn't fallen at all. How had he survived that? He was still human, at least partially anyway.

_You are troubled._

"How did I survive the fall? A normal human would've died... or at least suffered major injuries."

_Stop thinking you're a normal human being Sam and maybe you'll find your answer._

"I can't die?"

_Not really._

"That doesn't sound convincing."

Lucifer sighed in his mind. _You can die... but not in the way normal human beings do, you've got a part of me remember? As long as you and I remain together, you'll never die the way your race does. If you get shot, you'll heal. If you fall from a great height, you'll survive. I know it's all very confusing for you, but things will make more sense. Oh, look... are they friends of yours, Sam?_

Sam broke his thoughts with Lucifer and looked ahead. Three men walked towards, scowls on their faces. Blood was present on their clothes and Sam the three men were armed with guns and knives. Hunters? Or demons? He couldn't be sure from this distance. He waited until they came closer then widened his eyes shock. The middle man... he remembered him. When he split from Dean several years ago, he was attacked by three guys in a bar. "That guy is a hunter... we met a few years back when you were still chasing me."

_He doesn't look like much._

"He doesn't like me at all. It's a long story, but he tried to make me drink demon blood so I could kill demons that killed his friends. He always said he'd come back for me."

The man and his two companions came closer until they were within metres away from Sam. "Sam Winchester, the boy who started the apocalypse and ended it... or did you? Last I heard you jumped into the pit, but here you are still walking around and causing trouble." He reached down into his pockets and pulled out his gun, facing the end towards Sam. "I should place this bullet in your head right now, but I wanna hear you talk."

Sam held up his hands in his defence. "You heard right... I ended the apocalypse and jumped into the pit."

The man walked closer, his smirk ever present on his face. "An angel came down and talked to us, said you had allied with the Devil, jumped into the pit and was saved by another angel. Is that true, Sammy? Did you become the Devil's bitch?"

_Hmph. Stop talking to him, Sam. Kill him._

Sam wanted to avoid all conflict if possible. "Yeah, you heard right."

"So you have power then? A lot of power." He edged closer. "Maybe you can use that power against those demon scum."

"That was a long time ago."

"You caused their deaths, Sam." Without warning, he pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Sam in the forehead and knocked him backwards. He landed on the floor and hit his head against the hard pavement. "Kill him!"

_They think they can take on the Devil? _Lucifer snorted in his mind. _Time to have some fun._

Two men lunged at Sam, pinning him down to the floor. One man swung a fist at his face, while the other searched him for weapons. But Sam didn't need weapons to fight back. He grabbed one of the men by his wrist and flung him off sending him flying backwards through the air. The other man, startled by the loss of his companion, quickly rolled off Sam and picked himself up from the floor. "We don't need to do this," Sam said, trying to reason with them.

_Oh Sam, they don't want to talk. They want to fight. Kill them! _Lucifer shouted gleefully.

Sam sung a punch at the man causing him to stumble backwards and trip over his own two feet. He walked after him, then placed a well aimed kick at his left rib managing to shatter it with ease. Cries of agonising pain filled the air, but Sam wasn't fazed. He turned his attention on the remaining hunter and smirked. "I let you walk away before, but not this time." He bent down, looted the body and grabbed a pistol. He aimed the gun at the hunter and pulled the trigger. The bullet flew into the man's head killing him instantly. He gasped, dropped to his knees then fell forward into a pool of blood.

Once the fight was finished, Sam bent over and gasped. He had killed three hunters in less than a few minutes and didn't break a sweat. Inhumane power coursed through his veins and Sam knew Lucifer had been the one doing the fighting. No human could fight like that. "That... was incredible."

_That was nothing. I can do a lot more, but you need to work for it._

That brief event reminded took his mind to the earlier days when he used his power to exorcise demons. It was wrong, but it felt so right. Unstoppable almost. He could kill almost anything with just a simple click of the fingers.

_You want to be strong... stronger than everyone._

Sam felt a cold shudder run down his spine upon hearing Lucifer's words. Did he crave power? Was he really that selfish? He wanted to believe he wasn't. After all, he sacrificed himself by jumping into the pit. That wasn't selfishness. Or was it? He wanted to made amendments for the releasing Lucifer from the cage by being the one to sacrifice for the greater good. It wasn't about saving the world. It was about redeeming himself in the eyes of his brother. But he couldn't deny the rush he had experienced when he used his demonic power, nor could he ignore Lucifer's strength. Where would this path take him? He hoped to reunite with his brother again in the future, make him realize he could stand on his own two feet.

He looked towards the horizon.

What path would he take?

**.**

Crowley sat back on his leather armed chair, his fingers playing with the lighter. He was in a tight situation. His demons were living in fear because of those damned Leviathans, and it was causing panic within the group. Just this week alone he had to kill some of his friends. One demon tried to betray him, the other wanted him dead. He couldn't allow such disorganization.

"Crowley, I have news to report."

Crowley stopped playing with the lighter, glanced up and looked at the demon. He possessed the body of a middle aged balding man. "Have you learnt of a way to defeat the Leviathans?"

The demon shook his head. "No, but-"

Crowley raised a hand cutting the demon off. "Then I'm not interested." The demon remained. Crowley heaved a sigh. "What? Should I speak louder?"

"The Winchester boys have separated," he blurted out.

He frowned, then looked at the demon with newfound interest. "Separated? I wonder why..." Not that it bothered him. It made his task in destroying them so much easier. "And what of Meg? Do you have news of her?"

"I do not."

Darn. "Well, go find her and bring her to me... alive." Crowley stood up from his chair and walked towards the demon. "I want to finish her myself." He snapped his fingers. "If by any chance she finds either Winchester, offer them a deal. Tell them this, Crowley and his demons will not hurt you if you hand over Meg. If you refuse to the conditions of the deal, then... well, I'm sure they're smart enough to fill in the blanks." He stretched out his hand to the right and patted the air.

The demon swallowed, eyeing the spot next to Crowley. He could see the beast. It was almost as tall as Crowley himself. It was covered in thick grey fur, with black spikes running down its spine. It had three heads, with razor sharp teeth as long as daggers lining its jaws. Its eyes were yellow, bright as the sun itself. Crowley's pet dog, the biggest and strongest of the hell hounds. He called it Cerberus. "I will do as you command."

Crowley grinned. "My pet will listen to you, won't you boy?" He patted the dog's head, earning a soft appreciative growl from the beast. "Go on, boy" He urged the dog forward. The hound stood at the demon's side, its bright eyes focused intensely on his face. "Take a group of demons with you. You have until sunset to bring Meg to me. Now go!" he ordered, pointing to the door.

The demon nodded and exited the room, the big dog following at his heels.

**.**

He had not walked more than twenty metres of the mental asylum when a man and woman appeared before him. "Sam Winchester, the boy with the demon blood," spoke the male. He took a step forward. "I am Hestor, a former friend of Castiel."

"Angels," Sam stammered. "I thought you were all dead. Why are you here?"

Hestor spoke. "We're here to end the threat."

Was it possible the angels were going to help stop the Leviathans? "You're talking about the Leviathans."

Hestor shook his head. "No. Our fight is not with them."

Castiel perhaps. He had after all punished many angels and slaughtered Raphael's followers. "Castiel?"

Again, Hestor shook his head. "Castiel remains a threat, but he is not our primary concern." His eyes narrowed. He walked forward forcing Sam to walk backwards. Soon he found himself back in his room. It was then Hestor offered an explanation. "You are our biggest threat."

Sam froze. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"You need to die Sam Winchester," he said coldly.

Sam blinked. "I stopped the apocalypse. I _saved_ this world."

The male angel turned to his female companion. She shook her head. The male turned back to Sam. "You are too dangerous to live. We don't know what knowledge Lucifer passed onto you while he was in possession of your body, but we know it can't be good. Please understand Sam." He stretched out his arm and exposed his palm to Sam.

Sam's eyes widened. "No! Wait!"

But before he could reason with the angels, the male swept Sam off his feet and hurled him towards a tree. He smashed into the trunk head first, then slumped to the ground unmoving. The angels transported themselves to the tree and examined his motionless body. "He could not have survived that," the female said. "Come. We need to find our brother Castiel." Her companion nodded. He gave Sam one last fleeting long before disappearing with the female angel.

_That wasn't very nice of them._

Sam groaned. His head hurt like hell, but the pain quickly faded. He assumed Lucifer's power was again at work. "What the hell just happened?"

Lucifer snorted inside his head. _New angels from the garrison. It seems they're not too happy with you._

"I didn't do anything to them," Sam protested.

_You are public enemy number one now Sam._

Sam's heart skipped a beat. "What?"

_Come on Sam. Think about what the angels just said. They know you were the one who opened my cage. They also know you jumped into the cage with me. And they're aware you are walking the earth. They're scared of you. You better hope they don't try and find a way to break Michael out of that cage._

"You think they'll try?" The thought of possibly having to deal with Leviathans, Crowley, Michael and other hunters was overwhelming.

Several seconds of silence passed until Lucifer replied. _Possibly... that is if the Leviathans don't stop the angels first. This is a problem; now we will have to face angels as well as demons, humans and Leviathans. _A dire situation indeed.

"What should we do?"

_I... don't know._

**.**

Sorry for the delay! I lost a bit of interest in Supernatural since season 8 began and I've only recently found that interest again. So – what will happen next? Will Lucifer come up with a plan? Has Sam made the wrong decision? Will Dean encounter Crowley's men? Find out in the next chapter!


	6. Dangerous Steps

**Disclaimer**

The rights to Supernatural belong to Eric Kripke

**Title**

Dance With the Devil

**Summary**

Sam's locked in the mental ward and he's constantly harassed by Lucifer. He tries to seek help, but everyone thinks he's crazy, even his beloved brother. How will Sam win this battle with himself? Remastered version of 'Dance With the Devil'

**Special Thanks**

Dev's Inferno, AlElizabeth, JustMakeLeftTurns and cursedgirl for reviewing the previous chapter! I hope you like this one as well.

**.**

**Chapter Six: Dangerous Steps**

"Naomi, we found the location of Sam Winchester," said Hestor, walking up towards an office desk. A female angel sat behind it, dressed in the clothes of a secretary.

She looked up at Hestor, a stern expression on her face. "Where is Sam Winchester?"

"We killed him, Naomi."

A few beats of silence passed, then Naomi stood up from her chair. She stood in front of the two angels, looking them both directly in the eyes. "Are you sure?"

Hestor nodded. "There is no way a human could survive what we did to him."

Naomi continued to stare at the two angels, before finally nodding. "Good, that means I'm one step closer to my plan of releasing Michael from Lucifer's cage." Lucifer's cage had been opened already due to the breaking of the seals, but it could be opened again in a much quicker and easier fashion. Her first step was obtaining Sam's blood and smearing it over the gate. Lucifer had a link with Sam. Sam's blood could reopen the cage.

The second part required Dean's blood. Michael would be tainted by his time in hell and Dean's blood would purify him of corruption. But unlike Sam, she needed Dean alive. With Adam dead, Dean was the last true vessel for Michael. It wasn't going to be so simple though; Castiel, Dean's guardian angel, stood in her path.

"I want you to kill Castiel," Naomi said, handing Hestor and his companion two angel blades. "When he's dead, bring me his wings. I'll put them on display so everyone will learn that Castiel, the traitor, is dead."

"What shall we do about Dean?" Hestor asked.

"Bring him to me, alive," she ordered.

"But, what about the demons? And the Leviathans? Surely, they will try to stop us," Hestor said, concerned. Castiel had damned them all. No mere angel could take on a Leviathan and win. Only an arch angel could battle and come out victorious. Unfortunately, all known arch angels were dead or stuck in the cage. But Naomi was going to everything and restore heaven back to the way it was before Castiel had torn it apart.

"Let me worry about the demons; you just worry about killing Castiel and bringing Dean to me alive, understood?" Naomi said. The angels nodded quickly, obviously intimidated by her. "Now go. Don't return without the prize." Further words were not needed. The two angels vanished leaving Naomi alone in the room. She gazed down on the paper lying on the table, each document with a face of someone. She fixed her sight on Crowley. She was going to make a deal with him, one that would benefit them both.

.

The scene of Sam jumping out the window still replayed in Dean's mind in an endless loop. Sam's words had left him feeling cold and confused; Sam wasn't Sam anymore, at least not entirely. How much longer would it be until his brother was completely gone? He remembered the future Zachariah had shown him of a post-apocalypse world and it hadn't been pretty. "I'm going to save you, Sammy."

But he had no leads at all. Whoever heard of separating two souls from each other? Castiel had said it could not be done and Dean believed him, although he didn't want to. He didn't want to believe that killing Sam was the only way to save him. Sam had made many poor choices, but he didn't deserve to die for them. "Dean, you need to focus on the task at hand," Castiel said, sounding as emotionless as ever.

Damn angels. He wished the angels had never meddled in the affairs of humankind, then none of this would be happening. Sam and himself would still be hunting monsters and saving people. "Killing Crowley? Solving Heaven's problems?" Dean retorted, voice laced with thick sarcasm, "I don't care about your stupid problems."

"You're upset, and I understand, but-"

Dean turned around, fire burning in his eyes. "No, you don't understand, Cas! You have no understanding of what it is like to lose someone you love! You're not human, Cas. So don't tell me how I should be feeling!"

"There is one being powerful enough other than God that can save your brother, Dean."

Dean didn't need any clues to know who that was. "Michael." But Michael was locked in the cage. The cage couldn't be opened again. All the seals were broken and no new ones had replaced them. "He's locked in the cage, Cas. We made sure of that." And there was no way Michael was getting out – Adam was dead. Michael couldn't get a free ride out of hell like Lucifer had by latching onto Sam. "There has to be a way... there's always a way..." Dean muttered, placing his hands around his head.

"If there is anyone that knows how to open the Gates of Hell it would be Crowley," Castiel reasoned.

Dean lowered his hands, and looked at Castiel with confusion. "Why would Crowley tell us? You've been going on about killing Crowley and stopping him before things get worse. Besides, Crowley doesn't want Lucifer back."

"We force it out of him," Castiel replied, calmly.

"Sam was the one with the ability to get confessions from demons," Dean retorted dryly, recalling the event where Sam had forced Alistair to speak the truth with his demonic powers. "We don't even know where Crowley is. No demon is going to want to bargain with us either."

"Meg."

"Meg? I want to kill that bitch for what she did to us."

"She will know where to find Crowley. She doesn't like him either, Dean. We can use her."

"Oh, it's that easy, is it Cas? Working with demons is never a good thing; you would know that better than anyone else. Look how well it turned out for you," he snapped. "This is all your fault, Cas. You should've listened to me."

"I'm sorry, Dean."

Dean narrowed his eyes. "Sorry? Sorry doesn't cut it. You're the reason Sam let Lucifer back into his head. You're the reason heaven has fallen apart. You're the reason why everything is crumbling around us."

"I thought I was doing the right thing."

Dean shook his head. "You weren't. I tried telling you that, but of course you didn't listen. I don't want you around me. I can't trust you." It was a wonder why he hadn't told Castiel to leave earlier. Castiel tried to protest, but Dean wouldn't have it. "Don't make me say it twice."

Castiel stared at him almost with what Dean would call sadness, before the angel disappeared into thin air. Now he was alone, well and truly alone. He grabbed a bottle of beer off the table and drunk enjoying the sense of temporary relief.

.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Sam demanded, pacing back and forth like a maddened dog.

_I don't know how we are going to deal with angels, demons, humans and leviathans all at once. I might be an all-powerful arch angel, but even I have my limits. _Lucifer replied heatedly. _You're not at full-strength either._

At Lucifer's last word, Sam felt his knees buckle. He stumbled forwards, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion course through his body. "What's... happening to me?" he muttered, stumbling forwards again.

_Exhaustion. You've only had me in your head for less than a day, Sam. It's going to take a little longer than that for your body to adjust. You're feeling drained from the fight we had before with the angels._

Great. "Is this the same experience for all humans that accept angels?"

_No, just you. You're special, Sam. You can handle me; you were born for me. Your body will cope, but no other human would. You saw what happened to my old meatsuit. _

Sam remembered the old vessel. He wondered what his name was and what his occupation was. Lucifer had never bothered to tell him how he kept himself busy while searching for Sam. And Sam never asked. "Don't you have any suggestion though? I mean, it won't be long before heaven's warriors know something is wrong with me."

_There is something wrong with you, you're exhausted. You won't be able to use my powers in your current state unless we get some go juice for you._

"Go juice?"

_I think you know what I'm referring to._

Demon blood. Lucifer's old vessel had been drinking galleons of it. "But I thought..."

_Thought you never had to drink that stuff again because you're special? It's not always that easy, Sam. You don't need it to keep your body from decomposing, but you'll need it to replenish energy. Sorry, I should've told you earlier._

"I'm not drinking that stuff again."

_I know that stuff is nasty. If I could have it any other way I would, but I don't. You can refuse to drink the blood but it means we'll lose the next fight. If the angels discover I'm in you they'll strike with an angel blade and that is going to hurt me. It won't kill me, but it'll leave me severely wounded. If we encounter a Leviathan, then we won't be able to defend ourselves. The same applies with demons and other hunters._

"But you can heal."

_That's true, but I don't like to be on the receiving end of pain. It won't be very pleasant for you either, Sam if we get struck by an angel blade. So, what do you say we find some demons and gut them? _The sudden joy in Lucifer's voice made Sam's skin crawl, but he didn't see any other choice. If he was going to save the world from its evils, he needed to stay alive and Lucifer was the one who saved him from permanent death.

Sam sighed. What would Dean think? He'd probably call him a monster or something along those lines. He was doing this for the right reasons. To atone for his past sins. "Fine. I don't like it, but we don't have another option. Where's the closest demon?"

_Not too far away from here actually. The demon is possessing a young adult female. A virgin to be precise, but not for too much longer. She's a librarian...and one of Crowley's supporters. That gives us more of a reason to kill her, right Sammy?_

At first, Sam considered going against Lucifer's suggestion. He wasn't a blood sucker, not anymore. Everytime he thought about it, he remembered the look of disappointment on Dean's face. But Dean isn't around anymore, a voice other than Lucifer's said. He always had a justification for why he did things, even if they were perceived as wrong. "I'm doing this for the good of the world," he said.

_You don't need to convince me, Sam._

And so Sam made his way towards the demon, ignoring the exhaustion his body was feeling. Adrenaline became his fuel.

.

Since the finale of season 8 is on, my motivation for Supernatural has hit a high. In the next chapter, Sam attacks a demon, Castiel finds a way to stop Crowley and Dean teams up with Meg. But like always, trouble is never too far away. Reviews are greatly appreciated!


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